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Cortese Speaks at Rally against Child Labor in Uzbekistan

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Recognized as one of the most egregious examples of child labor in the world, students in Uzbekistan have been systematically forced by their government to leave school for months at a time to pick the cotton harvest. AFT secretary-treasurer Antonia Cortese spoke at a demonstration on Oct. 14 in front of the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Washington, D.C., to condemn this practice and called on the Uzbek government to heed international pressure to end it.

"For more than 2 million Uzbek students, going 'back to school' also means going 'back to the fields,' as they and their teachers are forced to leave school to perform long, hard and dangerous work in the country's cotton fields," AFT president Randi Weingarten said in a statement. "While the government and bosses reap the profits, the children lose valuable learning time while toiling in the fields for little more than meager meals. This state-sanctioned practice must be denounced. All children belong in the classroom, and teachers must be free to practice their craft.

"The AFT is united with a coalition of governments, businesses and organizations calling on the Uzbek government to abide by the International Labor Organization Convention No. 182, which the Uzbek government ratified, and end its reliance on child labor in its cotton production. By putting its children's long-term educational needs, and their futures, ahead of short-term profits, the Uzbek government can break the cycle of poverty in Uzbekistan, allow its students the chance to reach their full potential, and create a better economic future for its country."

More information about the situation on child labor in Uzbekistan is available on the AFT's child labor site.

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The American Federation of Teachers is a union of professionals that champions fairness; democracy; economic opportunity; and high-quality public education, healthcare and public services for our students, their families and our communities. We are committed to advancing these principles through community engagement, organizing, collective bargaining and political activism, and especially through the work our members do.